Before, During and After
by HappyFrogLegs
Summary: As the war rages on and Chiro's stress levels are high, a surge in the power primate connects him to someone he is all too familiar with. Rated T for safety and warning is inside. One shot


Hey Happy! Why aren't you working on your upcoming multi chapter fic and is instead putting this weird thing up? Well one thing I am working on it, I'm actually pretty far along on it. Another thing is that inspiration hits me while I'm watching and listening to things. So for the 12th anniversary I got inspired by a Welcome To Nightvale episode: Triptych and it inspired me to make this wreck of a ficlet. It also will give you a taste into the multichapter fic I will create. This is just a oneshot buuuuut if anyone wants to expand on this idea, just drop me a message if you're interested. Also there maay be hints of mpreg here but nothing heavy I don't think. Also this may be ooc, but when my new fic comes out I will hopefully show you why that's the case even though this fic isn't in the same universe as that other one. Srmthfg doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Ciro Neli.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

The war raged on as Skeleton King's forces attacked the city on a nearly daily basis. It makes time to make huge plans severely limited but as of right now, Skeleton King has been a bit quiet. Yes there are a couple of Formless entering the city every now and then but even then it gets cleaned up pretty quickly. Chiro was meditating in his room, trying to figure out a plan to at least knock Skeleton King down a peg until they find a way to destroy him forever. That and it will help relieve his ongoing stress that has been bubbling up inside of him. He inhaled and exhaled, eyes closed. It was so quiet and peaceful in his room, the others patrolling or working with the allies.

Hmm, what could he do to make a huge push against Skeleton King? Maybe with all of this Formless coming in, maybe they can find the source and take it down. That could work, but how would Chiro find it? He kept meditating, using the power primate to find the source.

His head then began to have some pressure as a surge of the power primate shot up and have his thoughts blur together. Chiro placed one hand on his head and grimaced.

"What is going on with the power primate today?! It's been acting like this all week!" He thought, the pressure getting more prevalent.

It was almost as if he was connecting to something. But what?

"Rrgh, maybe Antauri would know what's going..." But before Chiro could finish that last sentence he suddenly heard another voice.

A familiar yet despicable voice.

 _"Of course Sprx would pull a stupid stunt like this, he wants to put on a show for the humans instead of protecting them!"_ Mandarin's thoughts huffed.

Chiro felt sick and then felt rage.

"Oh no..." He thought before realizing his mistake.

 _"Hello? Who is connecting with me right now and for what purpose?"_ Mandarin's voice slowly asked.

Chiro sat back a little bit in surprise. What was he talking about?

 _"I know you're there, I can sense your presence from...wherever it is you are from. I am the leader of the Hyperforce and I do not mean you any harm."_

"I know who you are Mandarin. Don't play games with me." Chiro growled.

 _"Games? Please I don't have time for such things and if I did I wouldn't play with a stranger. No offense."_ Mandarin huffed.

Now Chiro was really confused. What the heck was Mandarin trying to get at?

"We aren't strangers Mandarin. You and I have met and..."

 _"I have? I definitely have never heard your voice before nor have I met you. Are you sure you aren't confusing me with someone else?"_ Mandarin asked.

"No I don't! I remember you being leader of the Hyperforce and you were a jerk-!" Chiro began before Mandarin scoffed.

 _"Did Nova say that? I apologized to her a week ago and she's still holding a grudge. How was I supposed to know that her stuffed animals were supposed to be private, they're not embarrassing!"_ Mandarin said before pausing.

 _"I mean, she isn't wrong about me having jerkish tendencies, but that doesn't mean I have some form of kindness."_ He sighed.

Wait. Was it possible that Chiro was talking to Mandarin before he became corrupted?

 _"Hold on, is it possible that you are from the future? Is that why you keep claiming that we met?"_ Mandarin asked.

Chiro hesitated. The Power primate somehow caused him to connect telepathically with Mandarin from while he was still leader. How was this possible? He was feeling a bit weird during the week but was that it? Chiro made a mental note to talk to Antauri about all of this as soon as he disconnects with this past version of their enemy.

"I suppose that's what's happening." He said.

Mandarin was silent for a moment.

 _"So then, and this is just a guess, that means you are a new member of the Hyperforce?"_ Mandarin asked.

"Um! Uh!"

Crap how was he gonna get passed this?! If Chiro wasn't careful, he could disturb the entire future!

 _"No it's okay. We wouldn't mind having a few extra hands helping us. Though I don't think I saw any other robot monkeys like us so you're a human then?"_ Mandarin asked.

"I-yeah." Chiro said, regretting screwing over the future.

 _"But how is that possible? We can barely communicate with the citizens let alone teach them the power primate. Unless that happens to come true one day, Otto can make incredible things."_ He said.

"Psh, like you would have accepted a human back then." Chiro scoffed.

Mandarin inhaled.

 _"To be fair I would not be on board with that idea right away, I mean the citizens can barely protect themselves. However since it is the future I can't possibly deny the possibility that one day humans will want to protect their own city."_

Now this Chiro saw happening. He saw more and more citizens rising up to fight for their city. It was actually pretty inspiring.

"I always thought you had a disdain for humans." Chiro said.

Mandarin sighed.

 _"I don't really understand them the majority of the time, that is a given. And maybe yes they do tend to annoy me with their constant chipper attitudes and weird society norms, but at the end of the day they're innocent beings. They don't deserve a demon like Skeleton King threatening their peaceful ignorance."_

Just hearing something like that come out of Mandarin was surreal! Was this really Mandarin? Was he playing a trick on him?

"So you don't like Skeleton King right?" Chiro asked for clarification.

 _"Of course not! Who does?! He goes against everything the Veran Mystics believe in. All good in the universe, community, peace, everything that is alive! But don't worry we will destroy him and keep any and all evil off Shuggazoom."_ Mandarin proclaimed.

Chiro laid back, overwhelmed by what he just said. Antauri did say once that despite his grumpy attitude and strict leadership, he was still a kind hearted person. It's just so weird now hearing this considering his previous impressions.

"It's so weird hearing this version of you. I don't know how the Power primate found its way to you from this where and when but here it is. This you before...before whatever you become." Chiro went on.

 _"Huh, sounds like the future will be very interesting. I mean I personally don't trust time travel given how it could change the future and all. Yet from the sounds of it, it seems like it is supposed to be...whatever it's like for you I guess."_ Mandarin told him.

Chiro nodded. In a way he guess it did, it's different from what the Mandarin of the past had in mind but if the events that later unfolded didn't happen, then Chiro wouldn't have met the Hyperforce. Mandarin kept speaking telepathically.

 _"You know Skeleton King has been trying to bring people over to his side from many parts of the universe? I would never join a monster like him, or worse betray my family. I would never let that happen, they mean too much for something as low as thinking I was above them. That's...that's...anyway I never got your name-"_ Mandarin said before the connection was gone.

Chiro sat up.

"Mandarin? Mandarin?" He tried to call out but received silence.

"I don't think he can't hear me anymore." He thought.

 _"You don't think who can hear you anymore?_ " Mandarin's chilling voice asked.

Chiro sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness Mandarin you're still here. I need to warn you about Skeleton King." He said.

 _"Warn me? Oh no my hairless monkey, why would you need to warn me about someone as indefectible and divine like Skeleton King? Why ever since he took me under his wing a few days ago, I have learned so much from him and I never felt more amazing in my entire life._ " Mandarin said, almost dream like.

Chiro's stomach twisted as he heard this. He must now be connecting to the more recent past version of Mandarin.

"Mandarin, what did you become?" Chiro asked.

He heard Mandarin's dark chuckles and his skin crawled.

 _"I have become so much more than before. I have become a more powerful and unstoppable force of nature. Something that I don't think beings like you could understand."_

Oh he could only imagine. The way he talked about himself right now was so creepily elated.

 _"Now I am not sure why you have decided to contact me telepathically. Maybe to finally give in to the might that is lord Skeleton King? Or is it because you have this power primate surge that you said you had all those years ago?"_ Mandarin mockingly asked.

Chiro gripped his sheets, no doubt disturbed and angry hearing this.

"Do you not remember who you used to be? The you that believed in protecting the innocent and caring about your family? Do you remember none of that?" He asked harshly.

Mandarin was about to saying something, but then let out a small laugh.

 _"That was before I realized how much more I could be other than protecting those sheep. I realized I was better than all of them and felt I had to rule. Yet I was proven wrong, because there is one other person better than me. I'm sure you of all people know who that is, don't you my hairless monkey?"_

"Don't-don't call me that." Chiro huffed.

 _"I remember being so dull and weak, caring about those sheep instead of realizing how much potential I have. Even with my imprisonment I never could imagine that old fragile body would be tossed out for something even better. I remember being far too kind for my own good, instead of...well...disposing the weak like I should have."_ He went on, the tone in his voice getting more excited.

Chiro felt sweat lightly appearing on his forehead as he gulped.

 _"Once Skeleton King transformed me against my 'misguided' will, why nothing has been the same ever since. This new body he placed in me...oh it feels so wonderful! Truthfully the added weight is a little hard to get used to but I feel so incredibly powerful! I could...I could take down your precious super robot with my hands alone, I could bash your head onto the pavement, I could even do unspeakable things to my 'brothers'. I could do so much!"_ Mandarin gushed, nearly panting from what he said.

Chiro's uncomfortable feelings just shot up and he rubbed his arms a bit from the goose bumps.

 _"Y-you know what? Thank you child, you brought back so many good memories."_ Mandarin breathed.

"I am so glad that you became that skeletal thing and that I kicked your butt." Chiro said, uncomfortable.

 _"Oh that's not true, I haven't even shown you the utmost force of my new abilities yet. I haven't even turned into something that sounds so...skinny and weak. I only met you what a week ago?"_

Oh right, from where they actually first met.

 _"Don't worry though, I am unsure when I will be able to finish you but hopefully it'll be soon."_ Mandarin chirped.

"Yeah before you took my girlfriend's head off as she was looking for her creators." Chiro grumbled before realizing his mistake.

That thought was supposed to be kept in the back of his head, unreachable by Mandarin.

 _"So what you're saying is that your...girlfriend was it? She is looking for her 'creators' as we speak? Hang on I need to write this down."_ Mandarin asked.

Chiro began to internally panic as he thought up an excuse.

"What? No I don't have a girlfriend, I was just- oh jeez it sounds really terrible coming out of my voice. She is not looking for her creators, she is just...getting ice cream!" He babbled, but Mandarin just laughed.

 _"Oh come on now boy. Do you really think you can lie to me? I can look through your mind and find even your most darkest secrets. You can't hide them from me."_ He said.

Chiro could just see the sneer on his ugly face. He could just see it.

 _"Just in case though I will ask lord Skeleton King to allow me to use a ship or robot to look around. In case I find anything that's a little...suspicious, I would be more than happy to send it to you. Not you now, you then. Time is so odd isn't it?"_

"So weird." Chiro coughed.

 _"Isn't it? Well I am sure to see you very very soon."_ He said, poison lacing his voice.

Chiro's throat dried. It was his fault, Jinmay's head taken off was all his fault! He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"I...I'm..." Chiro tried to think of a comeback but no words came out.

His brain was an entire blank.

 _"Aw don't feel so down about yourself. We all make mistakes, well except wonderful Skeleton King of course. He never makes mistakes, which is why I will happily follow him until the end of my days, and with him saying I can never age, who knows when that will be."_ Mandarin cooed.

"Mandarin I have defeated you before and I will do it again, but I can't just sit back and somehow have you find more secrets. I need to concentrate." Chiro said before beginning to force himself away from Mandarin's connection.

 _"My lord! My lord I just heard the most amazing information-!"_

Chiro then forcibly disconnected himself from that Mandarin. He laid back and breathed heavily, sweat dripping down his face. He could only imagine how that conversation went. He closed his eyes and sighed. How was he going to explain to Jinmay about this? Is he going to explain to her about this?

Chiro placed a pillow on his face and groaned. He let his mind wander again, trying to go back to that plan and forget this encounter ever happened. Until he heard someone grimacing in pain and sniffling.

He quickly sat back up, was it Mandarin again? If so, which one?

"U-um hello?" He called out.

 _"Chiro? Is that you? Oh, it's been so long."_ Mandarin said weakly, the strength and fire from his voice now gone.

"You sound so...anyway when is this? Um where are you right now? Are you still fighting against us in the war or-?"

 _"War? What war? I have been trapped in this laboratory for so long ever since I have failed Skeleton King in cloning you. That skeletal version of me...that's not me Chiro. That is a clone."_ Mandarin explained.

Chills went up Chiro's spine. That other Mandarin was a clone? Well that would explain the random appearance changes, but still. The thought sounds so horrifying.

 _"It's actually great to hear your voice again. At least one that sounds remotely kind._ " Mandarin sniffled, he sounded like he was crying previously.

"Mandarin, how long has it been since you were...trapped in this laboratory?" Chiro asked, needing a good grasp on when this was.

 _"I...I guess a few months after I failed to clone you? At least it has been a few months for you, yet for me...oh what Skeleton King has done to me. He had hidden motives for my body to be the way it is...it's vile. He revealed to me so many secrets, so many awful secrets that hurt to even describe."_ Mandarin choked.

Chiro's stomach sank as he didn't say anything, just kept listening.

 _"Then he tossed me in here and allowed these robotic monsters to...to force me to become...agh!"_ Mandarin yelled and wheezed.

"Mandarin! Mandarin what's-?!" Chiro began but his words became caught in his throat.

 _"Nnnngh, it hurts. It hurts! Please not now! It's too early for you to come now!"_

Chiro's breathing became labored. What was happening?!

 _"Chiro I-I need you to do something for me. I don't know how long our conversation will be or when you are speaking to me but I have been trapped and imprisoned for so long now, I'm not myself anymore. All of my strength and courage is gone because of these monsters...and him. The things Skeleton King did to me and is forcing me to do is so terrifying. I need your help."_ Mandarin begged, sounding so pitiful.

Chiro stood up on his bed.

"Where are you? Where is this lab?" He asked.

 _"In the far parts of the city, there is an alleyway and there is a hatch. That's where I am."_ Mandarin briefly said before continuing to grimace in pain.

Chiro almost didn't want to ask what was happening to him, but his curiosity took over.

"What did he do to you?" He asked.

Mandarin sighed.

 _"I wish I could explain it properly to you right now. However I am in no position right now to go into details and explain. Just please find me, and help me. I k-know we have never gotten along well, I wish we did. I wish you would have known me before Skeleton King...before I turned against my teammates...my family. It may not have been my fault back then but there are still so many things I wish could have happened. Maybe it would have been more painful but at least you could've known the real me...before it all went wrong."_ Mandarin choked.

Chiro sat up a bit more.

"But I did know you Mandarin. Just now. You believed in protecting the city, you loved the others and wanted to take Skeleton King down. You were so happy." Chiro said softly, hearing the sniffles heighten.

 _"I wish that were me again...not this."_ Mandarin sniffled.

Chiro held his pillow, unsure of what to say now.

 _"I don't know how long it will take for the you then to get this message, but I will wait. I will wait until you and the others...if they even want to...help. Please I can't live like this anymore, it hurts each day when they take away and brainwash...when you get here, there are others here. Please help them too they can't be taken by Skeleton King they just can't!"_ Mandarin begged.

Others? What others?

"I...I will try." Chiro said.

Mandarin sniffled and sighed.

 _"Thank you Chiro. Thank you so-agh!_ " Mandarin screamed before the connection was severed.

Chiro sat on his bed, just blown away by what just happened. Before corruption, during corruption, and after. It all danced in his head. He then looked at his hands, as if looking for answers in them.

Chiro now has a choice, to do nothing or to help, and he was caught in between them like spider webs.

* * *

Well. I hope you enjoyed this weird little thing. "On a Doorstep"'s first draft should be done by December and I should be uploading chapters by then and I should be well into writing "Heavy Rotation." Anywho, thank you for reading!


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